Drilling 55 gal Aqueon

Frozenguy · 08/11/2015, 11:28 PM

I checked the glass panels on the 55 gallon and only the front and back are tempered. The sides are not so I'm going to go ahead and drill a side.

I checked using polarized 3D glasses and my laptop.
This fits logic, that the 48" span of glass is tempered while the 13" span is not.

atraperegrinus · 08/12/2015, 12:51 AM

pretty sure all panels are polarized, i know both of mine are. id be very cautious about drilling any 55's

tl1000r · 08/12/2015, 03:44 AM

Overflow box , 55s are hard to drill , and you will have problems down the road

Bent · 08/12/2015, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tl1000r

Overflow box , 55s are hard to drill , and you will have problems down the road

As the previous user of a overflow box that failed and flooded my house, I would argue the opposite.
Please explain how drilling a pane of plate glass in a 55 is different than drilling a pane of plate glass on any other application.

I drilled my 55g and it was easy as pie.

shred5 · 08/12/2015, 10:46 AM

Only thing I can see is 55 has thinner glass making it harder to drill than a 75..
But I have drilled 20 gallons tank with no issue for internal overflow boxes.
all my breeding tanks were 20's...

Away only the back and front are tempered? Is the bottom?
Have you checked with Aqueon?

Frozenguy · 08/12/2015, 12:54 PM

Current Aqueon literature only indicates that the bottom is tempered.

This is confirmed with lines visible using laptop and a polarized lens. When I view the front and back panels, I see the same lines. However when I look through the side panels, it's clear as, well, glass.

All panels on my 40 breeder aqueon are clear too, including bottom. Aqueon confirms no tempered bottom in their 40.

So I'm convinced the side panels are not tempered.
They aren't seeing nearly the amount of shear and bending as the 48" span so maybe aqueon felt comfortable leaving them non tempered.

atraperegrinus · 08/12/2015, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frozenguy

Current Aqueon literature only indicates that the bottom is tempered.

This is confirmed with lines visible using laptop and a polarized lens. When I view the front and back panels, I see the same lines. However when I look through the side panels, it's clear as, well, glass.

All panels on my 40 breeder aqueon are clear too, including bottom. Aqueon confirms no tempered bottom in their 40.

So I'm convinced the side panels are not tempered.
They aren't seeing nearly the amount of shear and bending as the 48" span so maybe aqueon felt comfortable leaving them non tempered.

all i know is when u look at new aqueon tanks at petco( i was there less than a week ago), they have 100+ new tanks fresh off the truck, it says right on the stickers on 55's all panels tempered, 40b's have bottom tempered only stickers.

at least at my local store. just be prepared to lose the tank if u do decide to drill.

Frozenguy · 08/12/2015, 01:14 PM

Yeah that's true. I just picked these up and was remarking how they have 0 dust anywhere.

Even the 40 breeder has a sticker. Which is worrisome.

Shawn O · 08/13/2015, 11:16 AM

It would be nice if they stopped tempering the fronts and backs (thicker glass) just stopped making the 55s altogether . Too many of us newbies bought them before finding out they usually can't be drilled.

Frozenguy · 08/13/2015, 02:30 PM

I drilled two holes successfully! I'll post pictures after I clean up a bit. Again, this was just the side panel.

It was my first time drilling and the first has some evidence I slid a few mm at first. Second hole is perfect.

However there was a lot of spray. Luckily I wore a wet shirt around my mouth/nose/under eye, plus eye protection. But that spray got everywhere.

Frozenguy · 08/13/2015, 11:01 PM

Here is a picture.

atraperegrinus · 08/13/2015, 11:39 PM

Nice, glad nothing shattered on ya

it is a wee bit messy to drill, i used 1.5" rigid foam with a hole cut the size of my hole to be drilled, so alot of my mess stayed inside the foam cutout thankfully.

shifty51008 · 08/14/2015, 12:46 AM

Good job on the holes, it may just be the pic but are the holes low enough so the bulkheads dont hit the trim?

sleepydoc · 08/14/2015, 07:24 AM

I was thinking the same thing- they look a bit close to the edges. Normal clearance is 1 hole diameter between glass edges. If you use that, the bulkheads are usually fine too. What did you use?

Frozenguy · 08/14/2015, 09:13 AM

Yeah they fit. I just put the bulkhead on the glass (flange side), and put the ring of putty a bit further down to accommodate any sliding or bad drilling.

joeyhatch11 · 01/15/2016, 06:29 PM

I know this thread is a bit old but has ANYONE had any luck drilling a front/back panel? I spoke with a tech at Aqueon today and they said that these tanks are being produced at such a high rate that they are using what ever material they have in bulk in the shop at the time. So 1 panel could be tempered, all could be or none (minus the bottom). I tried doing the polarized lens trick with a pair of glasses using a 8in tablet lcd screen with no luck. Even tried it on a empty 40B I have here with no luck thats already drilled and couldn't make the trick happen.

I did see the video posted on YouTube where a Reef Central member bought a Aqueon 55g tank and showed how the front/back wasn't made with tempered glass but now I'm worried after hearing that they are using whatever material they have in the shop at the time, Kinda funny that they would waste the time and money building these tanks using expensive tempered glass for front and back panels.

shifty51008 · 01/15/2016, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeyhatch11

I know this thread is a bit old but has ANYONE had any luck drilling a front/back panel? I spoke with a tech at Aqueon today and they said that these tanks are being produced at such a high rate that they are using what ever material they have in bulk in the shop at the time. So 1 panel could be tempered, all could be or none (minus the bottom). I tried doing the polarized lens trick with a pair of glasses using a 8in tablet lcd screen with no luck. Even tried it on a empty 40B I have here with no luck thats already drilled and couldn't make the trick happen.

I did see the video posted on YouTube where a Reef Central member bought a Aqueon 55g tank and showed how the front/back wasn't made with tempered glass but now I'm worried after hearing that they are using whatever material they have in the shop at the time, Kinda funny that they would waste the time and money building these tanks using expensive tempered glass for front and back panels.

Ive seen lots of people drill all diff sides of tanks it wont matter what side you drill as long as the glass isnt tempered. And tempered glass isnt really more expensive as you can use thinner tempered glass instead of thicker non tempered glass which cost more than it does yo temper the glass

08/11/2015, 11:28 PM	#1
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	Drilling 55 gal Aqueon I checked the glass panels on the 55 gallon and only the front and back are tempered. The sides are not so I'm going to go ahead and drill a side. I checked using polarized 3D glasses and my laptop. This fits logic, that the 48" span of glass is tempered while the 13" span is not. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

08/12/2015, 12:51 AM	#2
atraperegrinus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 456	pretty sure all panels are polarized, i know both of mine are. id be very cautious about drilling any 55's __________________ -Shannon Current Tank Info: Mixed Reef - 110g Display Tank - C2C Overflow /w Bean Animal \| 125g Sump/Fuge \| Vertex Omega 150 \| Waveline DC12000 \| Apex Neptune Controller \| Gyre 250's x2 \| Ocean Revive LED's \| SpectraPure LM3 AWC \| Tunze 3155 ATO /w LM3 pump \|

08/12/2015, 10:46 AM	#5
shred5 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Waukesha , WI Posts: 4,998	Only thing I can see is 55 has thinner glass making it harder to drill than a 75.. But I have drilled 20 gallons tank with no issue for internal overflow boxes. all my breeding tanks were 20's... Away only the back and front are tempered? Is the bottom? Have you checked with Aqueon? __________________ David Polzin

08/12/2015, 12:54 PM	#6
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	Current Aqueon literature only indicates that the bottom is tempered. This is confirmed with lines visible using laptop and a polarized lens. When I view the front and back panels, I see the same lines. However when I look through the side panels, it's clear as, well, glass. All panels on my 40 breeder aqueon are clear too, including bottom. Aqueon confirms no tempered bottom in their 40. So I'm convinced the side panels are not tempered. They aren't seeing nearly the amount of shear and bending as the 48" span so maybe aqueon felt comfortable leaving them non tempered. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

08/12/2015, 01:14 PM	#8
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	Yeah that's true. I just picked these up and was remarking how they have 0 dust anywhere. Even the 40 breeder has a sticker. Which is worrisome. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

08/12/2015, 03:44 AM	#3
tl1000r Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nj Posts: 13	Overflow box , 55s are hard to drill , and you will have problems down the road

08/13/2015, 11:16 AM	#9
Shawn O Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: People's Communist Republic of Massachusetts Posts: 1,474	It would be nice if they stopped tempering the fronts and backs (thicker glass) just stopped making the 55s altogether . Too many of us newbies bought them before finding out they usually can't be drilled. __________________ "55gal glass box full of water, rocks and some not-so-amused little fishes" 2x Occellaris, 1 Pajama, 1 Neon Dottyback. Current Tank Info: 55gal tank, sumpless, ReefOctopus Classic 90, Twin bulb T5.

08/13/2015, 02:30 PM	#10
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	I drilled two holes successfully! I'll post pictures after I clean up a bit. Again, this was just the side panel. It was my first time drilling and the first has some evidence I slid a few mm at first. Second hole is perfect. However there was a lot of spray. Luckily I wore a wet shirt around my mouth/nose/under eye, plus eye protection. But that spray got everywhere. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

08/13/2015, 11:01 PM	#11
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	Here is a picture. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

08/13/2015, 11:39 PM	#12
atraperegrinus Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 456	Nice, glad nothing shattered on ya it is a wee bit messy to drill, i used 1.5" rigid foam with a hole cut the size of my hole to be drilled, so alot of my mess stayed inside the foam cutout thankfully. __________________ -Shannon Current Tank Info: Mixed Reef - 110g Display Tank - C2C Overflow /w Bean Animal \| 125g Sump/Fuge \| Vertex Omega 150 \| Waveline DC12000 \| Apex Neptune Controller \| Gyre 250's x2 \| Ocean Revive LED's \| SpectraPure LM3 AWC \| Tunze 3155 ATO /w LM3 pump \|

08/14/2015, 12:46 AM	#13
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	Good job on the holes, it may just be the pic but are the holes low enough so the bulkheads dont hit the trim? __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

08/14/2015, 07:24 AM	#14
sleepydoc Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 3,907	I was thinking the same thing- they look a bit close to the edges. Normal clearance is 1 hole diameter between glass edges. If you use that, the bulkheads are usually fine too. What did you use? __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 120 gallon, coast to coast overflow w/beananimal overflow. Waveline DC 10000 II return pump, 40 gal sump, Octopus XS200 skimmer, T5 lighting

08/14/2015, 09:13 AM	#15
Frozenguy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 226	Yeah they fit. I just put the bulkhead on the glass (flange side), and put the ring of putty a bit further down to accommodate any sliding or bad drilling. __________________ 80g mixed reef paradise 30g sump + refugium Apex controller running pH, Temp x2, conductivity Adding 20g frag tank to system soon

01/15/2016, 06:29 PM	#16
joeyhatch11 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 40	I know this thread is a bit old but has ANYONE had any luck drilling a front/back panel? I spoke with a tech at Aqueon today and they said that these tanks are being produced at such a high rate that they are using what ever material they have in bulk in the shop at the time. So 1 panel could be tempered, all could be or none (minus the bottom). I tried doing the polarized lens trick with a pair of glasses using a 8in tablet lcd screen with no luck. Even tried it on a empty 40B I have here with no luck thats already drilled and couldn't make the trick happen. I did see the video posted on YouTube where a Reef Central member bought a Aqueon 55g tank and showed how the front/back wasn't made with tempered glass but now I'm worried after hearing that they are using whatever material they have in the shop at the time, Kinda funny that they would waste the time and money building these tanks using expensive tempered glass for front and back panels.